Monday, April 19, 2010

So That Was Record Store Day 2010...

A big thumbs up to everyone who came out and bought a record on Saturday!

I had a great time playing records at Sound Pollution, especially since Bonden brought his little, portable turn-table. It was fun playing a bunch of 7''s! Although it was an early start, a big, strong cup of the black stuff shook off the cob webs and the two hours I played flew by. I met a bunch of friends and had a great time hanging out. A top day all in all.

Mass Hysteri were great too. It was really fun watching them play in a packed out record shop. In true DIY style, they were playing Göteborg later that night too. Stellar work! Last Days of April also played a fine little accoustic set, including a lovely version of Lemonheads The Outdoor Type.

As I said, Record Store Day is a hugely important event for those of us who care about the future of the record shop. There is nothing quite like popping into your local indie store, hanging out with friends, chatting about the latest releases, new re-issues, new bands and up-coming shows, and then buying a record, taking it home and listening to it for the first time. You will never get this from a computer file. A world without indie record shops would be a fucking depressing place, so don't let it happen!

It was heart warming to see a bunch of young kids, hanging outside the shop before opening time, waiting to get in. I'm told by friends in the industry that physical record sales, especially vinyl, are on the rise for the first time in years, so maybe the future is bright after all. Lets hope so!

I of course picked up a couple of records before I left too. I picked up the first Mass Hysteri lp, a re-issue of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless album, the new Roky Erickson album and an Axe 7". Chuffed!

So once again, thanks to Bonden for working so hard to make Sound Pollution a great part of Record Store Day. I hope you had a few beers afterwards!

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Dagens Ord

Flax - A Swedish word for luck.

Hello...

This is a blog about life playing in a hardcore band...

...and some other stuff.

I started playing in bands when I was 14. I quit school when I was 18, around the same time I formed Raging Speedhorn. We played our first show in our home town, Corby, England in August 99 and our final show in Yamaguchi, Japan in November 08.

During that time I toured the world, moved to Stockholm, Sweden, got married and got a dog. And then we got a daughter.

These days I play in Victims, Diagnosis? Bastard! and Battle of Santiago. I also mess around with another couple of bands.

I managed a "hip" little bar on Södermalm for a few years but turns out that's a youth's game and I'm not that young anymore... So now I'm back in school, trying my best to make something of myself. Again.

The gaps in my schedule are filled working at a homeless shelter which is one of the best jobs I've ever had.

I spend most of my money on records and my free time going to gigs, drinking caffiene, watching football and walking my dog.